GRANT COUNTY NEWS Thursday, May 3, 2012 - 9

By Matt BirkholtzSports Writer

Acting has played a major role for two Grant County High

School seniors and they will get one more opportunity to shine in the spotlight, as they head to California for a national tourna-ment May 10.

Alexandra Young and Jacob Ewing compete in the duo inter-pretation competition.

The routine involves them only getting to make eye contact or touch during their introduction. From then on for the 10-minute act, they can’t touch or look at one another, while acting in a three-foot radius.

“That was a struggle in itself,” Young said. “We worked hard on it. “We are fortunate to be going to nationals.”

Finding a routine was also challenging for the duo.

“I find the pieces for us and I am the one that cuts it down to the requirements,” Ewing said. “It’s extremely hard because you have to keep the plotline the same. You have to keep every part in the

story, but shorten it.” Ewing said they looked at hun-

dreds of acts before finding one for competition on a website.

Once they cut it down to the required limit, Young and Ewing hit it off performing throughout the season and scoring high enough to qualify for the national

tournament for the third time.“Working together has been

easy for Jacob and I,” Young said. “We have known each other for a long time and we know each other. When we perform that comes out in our performance and I feel that is an advantage to us out on stage.”

Both Young and Ewing have performed the duo interpretation for three years and have known each other since elementary school.

“We have been doing it for years,” Ewing said. “I am going to miss it. It has been probably my most favorite thing I have done in high school.”

Ewing got interested in acting when he was in middle school and a group came in to perform for his class. It all became history after that.

“I also like to make people laugh,” Ewing said. “When I saw that group, I just knew that is what I want to do.”

For Young, acting has been a major part of her life since she was 3 years old and would act in front of the television at home.

“Acting has been something I have really enjoyed,” Young said. “It is my sport. It’s fun, exciting and is always different. It is always changing and exciting coming from that background.”

Both are planning to attend the University of Louisville. Young plans to get a degree in Spanish with the aspiration to attend law

school and become a school attor-ney in the future. Ewing plans to study mechanical engineering. Neither one ruled out acting in their future.

“I have put some thought into it, but I may minor in theater once I get comfortable in college,” Young said.

“I want to pursue a stand up career while I am in college,” Ewing said.

GCHS speech and drama coach Jackie Young is in her first year of being the coach and is the mother of Alexandra. Young said she has enjoyed coaching the speech and drama team, including Young and Ewing.

“It’s real,” Jackie said. “That’s what all of the members of the team do and for Alexandra and Jacob to represent GCHS this month is great.”

Young and Ewing will be com-peting May 11-13 at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions in Union City, Calif.

“I am excited about going,” Ewing said. “I am expecting big things from this tournament and to have a good showing at nation-als.”

Two Grant County High School students head to Speech, Drama nationals

Alexandra Young and Jacob Ewing perform their duo interpretation in front of the Grant County Board of Education.

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All sorts of fun at Mason Corinth Elementary

The Kids on the Block put on a pup-pet show for the children at MCE and talked to the students about the different types of child abuse. Steven, right, was played by Wendy McSwain-Ryan and Nam, left, was played by Jessica Gruff.Photos by Camille McClanahan

Cory Young is animated as he reads to the students.

Helen Fightmaster, Sarah Bayerle’s grandmmother, reads to the students as Audrey Shelton listens quietly.